REINER LANGER, a visual artist
Reiner Langer is a multitalented, remarkable and worldwide renowned German artist who, with his presence, honors Thessaloniki, the capital city of Northern Greece. I met him during his exhibition at Govedarou Art Gallery on April 17th 2018. The subject of his solo show was: “Freedom and Angels”. Reiner Langer being famous but not arrogant at all, with his deep philosophical thought, unfolded the integrity of his work in front of our eyes. In this exhibition, his rather small scale artworks immediately attract the attention of the viewer. The viewer feeling like to be lost in the detail of the image, very ingeniously enters into the vision of a reality that captures the infinite circle of life and this vision is sealed effortlessly and naturally by the skillful hand of Reiner Langer. His symbols are coming out of a mental process and like heroes are taking their place in a fantastic reality that narrates the human existence and the cultures that he has created. As he explained to me, he has experienced the greatest ancient civilizations of the world, such as Roman, Greek, indigenous American, Egypt, Persian, Japanese, Celts, Vikings and others. All these cultures were lost through the lapse of time, but they were the reason and motivation for the modern man to follow their traces and continue his journey into the modern reality.
In his works fish symbolizes that life on earth began in sea. His birds with flapping wings are always ready to fly towards freedom and mark with their presence the infinite circle of life, meaning that when something dies it gives new life to another existence. His artworks are the concoction of a surprising, deeply moving technique that refines the detail with multiple and dynamic sensitivity and his realistic brush-stokes lead to an unexpectedly modern and unusual result.
The tensions as reflections of correlation of writing, brush-strokes, color, and individual drawing create a subject that it is easily perceived by the viewer. The mixed media he uses in his artworks are coming from the accumulated experience, knowledge, and spiritual development of a sage man who has tasted and came into contact with the diversity of the modern way of life. That’s exactly what he narrates and predisposes us through his images; for the future destination of art which meets the past and steps towards the future.
Reiner Langer's awards in the global art market are multiple and remarkable. The number of solo and group exhibitions, workshops and installation projects he has participated is vast. Collectors and Museums around the world preserve his art-works as modern art’s portfolios of value. I want to express my gratitude and honor to meet him and write about his valuable, individual and wonderful work in a brief and concise introduction that can’t express the range of art he serves.
Magda Mystikou Karagianniotou
Art Writer
Journalist EDSTE ( Representative of the Association of Greek Writers and Journalists of Tourism Greece)
